Don't come back

If we were to produce a top ten of favourite 'moans' in Ilkley, you would find litter, toilets and dog fouling battling it out for the number one spot. Praise must go to councillors Hawkesworth and Brand for bringing a rather dull but important issue to our attention again.

Litter has been off the agenda for some time, but we cannot ignore the unsightly mess that sweeps across the moor. It is time to stop tut-tutting and grab the issue by the throat (or preferably the throats of those responsible).

It is difficult to know who is exactly to blame, probably all of us at some time. Throwing an apple core out of the window, dumping that cigarette. Does this ring any bells?

If it does, please clean up your act. Each piece of rubbish simply damages Ilkley and creates a stronger link between Ilkley and 'rubbish.'

What is astonishing is that it probably takes more effort to wind down a window and throw out a piece of rubbish than it does to put it in the bin when you arrive home. Sadly, it is just a reflection on society. If you decide to use Ilkley moor as your dustbin, it doesn't really matter - nobody cares do they?

Several everyday products carry a 'Keep Britain Tidy' message, complete with a little matchstick man dropping litter into a bin. Clearly, this deeply complicated message is beyond the understanding of a lot of people.

What is so annoying is the attitude of those responsible. Confront them and the chances are you will receive a look as if you are stark raving mad. If you confront a litter lout with no brain, be prepared for several sentences which end in 'off'.

There are countries in Europe where dropping litter is seen as a very serious offence - countries which clearly have a pride in their 'appearance'. Do we really want to be seen as the scruffiest members of the European Community?

We do not want Ilkley moor to become little more than the local tip. Think about it.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.